A five-year-old boy reportedly caused a duplex building to catch fire while playing with matchsticks on Monday in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State.

The incident occurred at Abiodun Adebiyi Close, off Yidi Road, in the Irewole area of Ilorin West Local Government Area. One of the rooms in the duplex was completely gutted, and significant property damage occurred before firefighters from the state fire service arrived at the scene to prevent the entire building from being destroyed.

An eyewitness, who identified himself as Lanre Abdulrazaq and said he was working nearby, recounted the event to Punch Online. He stated, “We suddenly noticed thick smoke emerging from the building, and we immediately raised the alarm to alert people in the vicinity for a rescue effort.”

“We did not know the cause of the fire but later we saw the fire service who arrived and contained the fire.”

However, the spokesman for the state fire service, Hassan Adekunle, who confirmed the fire, said the incident was caused by a five-year-old boy who was playing with matches that he unknowingly dropped on a combustible material that escalated the fire.

Adekunle, a principal fire officer and head of Media and Publicity in the state fire service, in a statement issued on Monday night said, “Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire was caused by a five-year-old boy playing with matches, who inadvertently dropped a lit stick on combustible material, igniting the flames

“On Monday, 3rd February 2025, at about 17:32 hours, the Kwara State Fire Service received a distress call regarding a fire outbreak at Abiodun Adebiyi Close, Off Yidi Road, Irewolede Area, Ilorin.

“Our gallant firefighters sprang into action, arriving swiftly at the scene to find one room in a five-bedroom duplex engulfed in flames.

“Through sheer expertise and technical precision, the team worked fervently to contain the fire, ensuring it did not spread to other rooms or nearby buildings. Thanks to their exceptional skill and coordination, only one room was affected.

“The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Prince Falade John, commended the firefighters for their swift and tactical response.

“He urged the public to prioritize fire safety and advised parents to keep matches away from children, emphasizing that a single matchstick could destroy an entire building.”

Adekunle said that the State Fire Service remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting lives and property through professionalism and rapid emergency response.